BC Kinship Care vs Foster Care Payments: What Relatives Receive

Kinship Out-of-Care and Foster Care Are Different Systems

In British Columbia, a relative who steps in to care for a child can end up in one of two systems — and the rules around money, tax, and benefits differ significantly between them.

Kinship out-of-care (EFP or CFCSA custody order): The child is placed with a relative under an Extended Family Program agreement or a court order within the child protection framework, but the child is not in the ministry's care. The relative receives monthly maintenance and claims the Canada Child Benefit.

Restricted foster care: The child is formally in MCFD's care (the Director holds legal custody), and the relative is approved as a restricted foster home. The relative receives foster care maintenance rates plus service fees, but the CRA pays Children's Special Allowances to the province — not the CCB to the caregiver.

The Monthly Numbers

Effective July 2025, out-of-care maintenance rates for EFP and CFCSA custody orders are:

• Ages 0–11: $1,549.20/month
• Ages 12–19: $1,726.33/month

These payments are tax-exempt. At the July 2025 to June 2026 CRA benefit rates, the caregiver may also claim the Canada Child Benefit (up to $666.41/month for under-6, $562.33 for 6–17) and the BC Family Benefit (up to $145.83/month plus $41.66 single supplement), if eligible.

Foster care maintenance rates vary by the child's needs and the level of service, and foster parents may receive additional service fees for complex care. But foster caregivers are not eligible for the CCB — the federal government pays Children's Special Allowances directly to the province instead.

Enhanced Out-of-Care Supports

If you are an out-of-care kinship caregiver raising a child with complex developmental, behavioural, or medical needs, Enhanced Out-of-Care (EOOC) support is available on top of your base maintenance. EOOC is governed by MCFD policy and can include:

• Up to $1,000/year for general equipment or minor housing modifications (approvable up to $5,000/year by a Director of Operations)
• Specialised in-home support or respite funding from $6,500 up to $26,000/year for high-need cases

To apply, contact the MCFD Client Relations Branch at 1-877-387-7027 (Press 1) or email [email protected]. Your social worker or team leader can initiate the request, but higher-tier supports require written approval from the regional Director of Operations.

Why Some Families Prefer Out-of-Care

Many relatives prefer the out-of-care route because it keeps the child out of the ministry's formal care system. Under an EFP agreement, the parent retains legal guardianship and the arrangement is framed as a family solution — not a state intervention. The caregiver maintains more autonomy over daily decisions. Out-of-care caregivers may claim the CCB and BCFB, while Children's Special Allowances are paid to the province for children in formal care, so compare the applicable maintenance, service fees, and CRA benefit eligibility for the specific arrangement before weighing total support.

The tradeoff is that out-of-care caregivers do not access the same structured supports (training, licensing supports, service fees) that the foster care system provides. For children with very high needs, foster care may offer a more comprehensive support framework.

The BC kinship financial help guide includes a side-by-side comparison of both pathways so you can see which arrangement fits the child's situation and your household before committing to one system.

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